Child Support Calculator: How Much Australia?

How much child support do I have to pay or how much do I receive? Find out quickly using this child support calculator for Australia. It uses the official formula to estimate the amount a parent needs to pay for the maintance of their children.

If your result shows Pay, the formula has assessed you as the contributing parent after income share and care are balanced. If it shows Receive, your share of care is higher than your share of combined income, so the transfer flows to you.

How Child Support is Calculated

The basic formula works in three moving parts: both parents’ taxable incomes are adjusted by subtracting the self-support amount, those adjusted incomes are combined to work out each parent’s income share, and then that income share is balanced against care to determine who pays and how much.

After the income share and care are balanced, the formula applies the government “costs of children” table and multiplies the total cost by the paying parent’s net child support percentage. An outline of the steps in the basic formula is set out in the Child Support Guide.

For instance, a parent with a high income and low care percentage may contribute a large amount to the pool but receive little back. A parent with high care responsibilities and a lower income may receive a substantial amount from the pool.

Factors Influencing the Assessment

Child support payments are influenced by key factors: the income of both parents, the number of children, and the care percentage. The calculator uses these inputs to determine a fair payment that aligns with each parent’s financial responsibilities.

Child support in Australia is managed by Services Australia, also known as the Child Support Agency (CSA). The system operates primarily outside the family law courts.

James Mathison, Real Family Law

If you have a large income but a low care percentage, you might be required to pay a substantial amount. Conversely, if you have a high care percentage and the other parent has a high income, you could receive a larger payment.

Is the Estimator Accurate?

The child support estimator is accurate because it uses the formula prescribed in the Child Support (Assessment) Act. The results are consistent with the legal requirements for calculating child support in Australia. The estimator incorporates factors such as each parent’s adjusted taxable income, the percentage of care, and the costs of raising children.

However, the estimator is for single cases, where a parent has child support obligations for children from one relationship. It does not account for multi-case scenarios, where a parent supports children from multiple relationships. In multi-case situations, the child support calculation involves additional complexities, such as the “multi-case allowance” and “multi-case cap.”

Furthermore, there can be a brief period between the official change in cost of children tables and Learning Lab updating the calculator. During this time, the estimator may become slightly inaccurate due to the lag in reflecting the most current economic conditions.

How Much is Child Support in Australia?

Child support in Australia is calculated based on a formula that considers income, the number of children, and care arrangements. The child support calculator online gives a quick estimate by factoring in these elements. For example, a parent earning $100,000 with full-time care might receive around $11,584 annually.

The system is designed to ensure that both parents contribute fairly to their children’s upbringing. The child support assessment calculator adjusts payments based on changes in income and care percentages to ensure that the support reflects the family’s specific needs.

Private School Fees

Education professional with parents of a young child

Private school fees are not included in standard child support calculations. The same applies to other large extraordinary expenses, such as orthodontic dental treatment.

The child support calculator focuses on covering general expenses like housing, food, and clothing. If parents decide on private schooling for their child, they must agree on how to divide these additional costs.

If they can’t reach an agreement, either parent can apply for a Change of Assessment (COA) through Services Australia. This process might adjust child support payments to account for private school education, depending on the circumstances and any previous agreements between the parents.